


The Dog Days of Christmas

by CarylDixonandGrimes (FandomLifeTookMyHandAndSaidRUN)



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Established Relationship, Fluff, Frustration, Kissing, M/M, Pet Adoption, Rickyl Writers' Group, Seriously I can't believe I didn't kill anyone in this story, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 14:23:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8986171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomLifeTookMyHandAndSaidRUN/pseuds/CarylDixonandGrimes
Summary: The stress of the holiday season is affecting our fair duo, so Rick decides to take matters into his own hands and take their struggling relationship to the next level.(Guys!  I wrote FLUFF!  And I didn't kill anyone!  This feels like such a tremendous achievement!  LOL)





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bennyhatter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bennyhatter/gifts).



> This story was born of a prompt I had given a friend, who ended up not using it, so I stole it back. And embellished. And added a real person. Because the story just went that way, and sometimes you just gotta let the story run away with you sometimes, right? 
> 
> This is dedicated to an uber-talented man who possesses more talent in his pinky toe than I will ever hope of achieving. He's going to be mad that I said that, because he doesn't like it when writers talk down about their own work. Sorry, my dear! We are our own worst critics, I think I've said that about a dozen times this month. 
> 
> Anyway, dear readers, if you ever possess the time, I must direct you toward the exceptional writings of one, Mr. Benny Hatter. He can be found here on Ao3, and if you have not already done so, you simply must drop EVERYTHING and go read his story "Running With the Devil." It's one of the best Rickyl AU's, if not best fanfiction I have ever read, EVER. He knows how to word good!

“Shit, what the hell else ya gotta buy, Rick? Ain’t Carl got enough presents for under the tree yet?” Daryl asked, his eyes glancing over the rather lengthy shopping list Rick was preparing.  

“Relax, it’s just stocking stuffers.  Silly things like whoopie cushions, scented markers, wax lips, and Bertie Bott’s Beans-”

“Bertie what?”

Rick sighed pinching the bridge of his nose.  “It’s a Harry Potter thing?  Jelly beans that come in all kinds of flavors, gross ones too like vomit, grass, and sausage.”

“Properly prepared sausage don’t taste gross!” Daryl retorted.  “Don’t make no sense why someone ‘ould make a puke flavored jelly bean.  S’dumb is what it is.”  Daryl sat down leaning the chair back on it’s rear two legs and propping his feet up on the table, earning him a glare from Rick.

“You wanna be Scrooge?  Fine.  That’s on you.  But this is my son, and this is my hard earned money, and if I wanna do something that don’ make a lick o’ sense to ya, then that’s my business, not yers,” Rick snapped, his southern drawl thickening with rising frustration.

“Don’t go gettin’ yer panties in a wad, Officer,” Daryl sneered, repeatedly tossing his beer can up in the air and catching it, droplets of beer flying out of the can in the process all over Daryl, the table, and Rick’s shopping list.

“Could you… not?” Rick snorted, and got up walking over to the coat hook and donning his corduroy jacket, and snatching up his keys.  “I’m out.  I’ll be back in a few hours.”  He grabbed the doorknob and started to walk out.

“What, I don’t get to come with?” Daryl called out after him, a tinge of hurt in his gravelly voice.

Rick stopped in his tracks and looked back at Daryl over his shoulder.  “Why would you want to?  You gonna give me shit, or you gonna keep yer mouth shut?  I don’t got time for yer attitude today.”

“Jesus fucking Christ on a stick, Rick.  You’re in a might foul mood.  What crawled up yer ass and died?”

Rick slammed the door shut behind him, stomping angrily down the sidewalk to his truck.  Throwing open the door with unnecessary force, and slamming it even harder when he hopped up into the seat.  Keys in the ignition, and the motor rumbled to life just as Daryl came hustling out the door, hopping on one foot as he tried to shove his boot on the other, his vest tossed over an arm.  

“Just wait a goddamn minute, will ya?!” he hollered, jogging around the truck and hopping in the passenger side.  Rick scowled at him, and as Daryl opened his mouth to speak, Rick turned up the volume of the radio, and changed the station to an annoying pop channel that was featuring nothing but particularly obnoxious Christmas music.  Including that ‘Dominick the Donkey’ one that Daryl hated so much, which was currently playing.

_ Santa's got a little friend,  _

_ His name is Dominick. _

_ The cutest little donkey,  _

_ You never see him kick. _

_ When Santa visits his paisans,  _

_ With Dominick he'll be. _

_ Because the reindeer cannot,  _

_ Climb the hills of Italy. _

 

Rick opened his mouth, and Daryl shook his head emphatically  **_No_ ** . And with an evil grin, Rick sang along at top volume, rolling the windows down as he did so all the neighbors could share in his obnoxiously joyous Christmas cheer.

Daryl just scowled, putting his foot up on the dash and sinking into his seat, letting Rick get whatever this was out of his system.  He’d give talking a try when the man calmed down.  They stopped for gas at the gas station, the hardware store for Christmas lights to replace the ones that were no longer working anymore, and finally were on their way to the big box store out by the highway.  While stopped at a red light, Daryl looked out the side window.  He’d come through this intersection many a time, but more often the driver than the passenger, so he didn’t catch all the details of the area with his attention focused on the road and the asshole drivers that surrounded him.  On the corner, obscured by overgrown vegetation was a small sign,  _ King County Animal Shelter. _  Looking up the drive to the near empty parking lot, Daryl saw that the light was still on.  He reached over patting Rick on the shoulder, “Just pull in here a sec.  Will ya?  Got an idea.”

Rick turned down the radio from it’s ear drum shattering volume, “What?”

“PULL OVER, just humor me, alright?”

Rick sighed, and shaking his head he turned on his blinker and pulled into the dirt driveway and slowed to a stop.  He put the truck in park, and sat back in the seat.  His elbow resting on the door, and his finger running mindlessly over his lower lip.

“Can you… can you at least _ look  _ at me when I’m talking to you?” asked Daryl, turning in his seat to face Rick.

“What are we doing here?” he ignored the look on Daryl’s face, instead looking out the windshield over the decrepit building.  The shingles on the roof were sun bleached and worn.  The wooden door in desperate need of stripping and some paint.  And he could hear the barking of dogs from within the recesses of the building.

“I… I got an idea.  Alright?  Nothin’ against that list you got there, but I just thought of a different way to spend your money.  Instead of dumping it into shit that he’ll outgrow, why not put it toward somethin’ that’ll last? Something practical.”

“Meaning what, exactly?”

Daryl looked at the building and back and Rick with a frown, “Ain’t it kinda… obvious?”  Daryl saw the storm brewing in Rick’s eyes and held up his hands in submission.  “Let’s go inside.  See what they got for dogs.  Carl’s been begging for a pup for a long time now, and he’s old enough now to handle the responsibility.  We don’t get a puppy cuz who’s got time for that potty trainin’ shit?  Adopt an adult, and older dog-”

“Can’t teach an old dog new tricks, Dar.  What if that dog has… issues?”

“Now see, that’s where you’re wrong.  Puppies… you gotta teach ‘em everythin’.  Adults and seniors?  They just want someone to love, a warm place to sleep at night, and a belly full of food at the end of the day.  They know to do their business outside, and it ain’t nothin’ to do a refresher on basic trainin’ cuz in most cases by then they’ve heard words like sit, stay, and whatever.”

“I don’t know…” Rick shook his head, unsure of what Daryl was suggesting.

“Don’t wanna believe me, fine.  Let’s just go have a look, alright?  I’ll go give them pups some love and you can go do twenty questions with the shelter volunteers.”  Not giving Rick a chance to respond, Daryl hopped out of the truck and strode over to the door.  With one hand on the door knob, he gestured with the other for Rick to follow.  Rick grumbled and pulled the keys from the ignition, tucking them inside his jacket pocket.  Shaking his head and making a note of the time on his watch, he followed Daryl inside the building.  

Concrete construction, green paint on the walls, there was a worn out counter with advertisements for various brands of dog foods and flea treatments.  Daryl was already off down the hall and around the corner, Rick could hear the increased volume of barking as he opened a door and closed it behind him, undoubtedly going to the dog wing of the building to check out the pups.  Rick shoved his hands in his pockets and eyed the bulletin boards on the walls.  Informational messages about the virtues of adoption, how to identify ticks, and the benefits of heartworm treatment.  His nose was soon assaulted with the scent of bleach and soap as a young blonde wheeled a mop and bucket into the reception area.

“Oh, hi!  I didn’t think anyone was here!  Almost closin’ time, thought I’d get a head start on the cleanin’ and… hey, Officer Grimes?”

Rick turned toward the voice, and greeted it with a smile.  “Beth?  That you?  Good god, girl!  When did you grow up?”

Beth stood tall with the mop handle in hand, blushing cherry red under Rick’s acknowledgment.  “Graduated three years ago, you should know. You were there,” she teased.  Rick had been a resource officer in the county high school, a rotating position with other officers on the force to help keep the peace in schools and also serve as protection with the increasing number of school shootings happening over the years.

“I still see all you kids as Kindergarteners gettin’ off the bus for the first time.  Faults of being a Dad, I guess.  How’s yer Dad doin’ these days?”

Beth’s smile faltered slightly but she maintained her cheerful demeanor, “Oh Daddy, had some trouble with his diabetes.  They couldn’t save his leg, had an amputation below his knee…”

“Gosh, I’m sorry…”

“Oh, he’s doing a lot better now!” She promised, “They put him on an insulin pump, and he’s got regular checkups, and it’s all good.  Even got ‘im a prosthetic so he gets around almost as good as before.”

“That’s wonderful, I’m happy that worked out then.  You workin’ here now?”

“Volunteer,” she explained.  “I work with Daddy, he’s retired but he still does checkups.  Folks just come to the house with their animals instead of the hospital.  He’s hardly slowed down, but we finally convinced him to hire some help.  Got a few good farmhands now, and I think he’s finally enjoying retirement.”

“Good for him, that’s great-”

“So, what brings you in?  Animal Control send ya, or-”

“No, no… off-duty.  Daryl said we ought to consider a dog for Carl, for Christmas.  Can’t say I’m convinced, but said we’d at least check ‘em out.”

“Come on back, then!  Ain’t gonna see ‘em standin’ here, silly!”  

Rick dutifully followed Beth, past the cat room with several cages of sleeping cats.  A bird and small animal room, he eyed a cute chinchilla through the doorway making a mental note to research that quieter alternative if the dog didn’t work out.  Down the hall, and through a door, he followed Beth past the row of kennels with barking dogs all the way down the line to where Daryl stood, his fingers wound through the chain link, his forehead resting against the metal as he watched the animal within.

“Oh, that’s our sweet ole girl, Savannah,” Beth explained.  “She’s not quite a senior yet, but she’s gettin’ there.  She’s a regular here unfortunately.  Get’s returned quite often, which is a shame.  She’s a sweet pup.”

“Why does she keep gettin’ sent back?” Rick asked warily.

“She’s deaf.  Poor thing can’t hear a darn thing.  She sees just fine, when she wakes up, you’ll see.  Oh! And she’s got one blue eye and one brown one.  They’re gorgeous!”

“Hmm, so-”

“But she can be trained, right?” Daryl interrupted, looking at Rick and back at Beth.  “She ain’t like a lost cause or nothin’, right?”

“Of course!  Just takes a bit more time and effort.  A fenced yard helps too so she doesn’t wander off, she can’t hear you to come if called, that was the biggest thing.  But with the right trainin’ she’ll do just fine.  Would you like to meet her?  Say hello?” Beth asked.  

Daryl’s eyes widened as he nodded his head, the excited rise of his shoulders and the way he rubbed his hands together and smiled with his lips pressed tight softened Rick’s heart.  Daryl was not one to show his emotions often, and Rick teased him regularly on account of him having a raging case of resting bitch face.  So unless you really got to know him, you never knew how many facets there really were to the enigmatic man.

Beth moved into the cramped kennel, and took a flashlight from her back pocket.  She flashed it off and on near Savannah’s face, the pup blinked her eyes sleepily before looking up at where the light came from.  Upon seeing Beth, and two unfamiliar faces, she got up on all fours stretching her legs her tail wagging.  She ambled over and sat like the good girl she was at their feet, her pink tongue lolling out of her mouth as she looked over the faces smiling down on her.

“Why the flashlight?” asked Rick as Daryl got down on his hands and knees and all but cooed at the dog.  

“Deaf dogs, or really any dog, can startle when woken from a deep sleep.  This can make them prone to snapping or aggressive behavior if it’s not handled appropriately.  The light gets her attention, or sometimes tapping your toe or stomping the ground, she’ll feel the vibrations and wake up.  It’s just a safety measure, for us and for her.”

“Oh look at you, you’re such a good girl now aren’t ya?  Such a good girl!” Daryl praised Savannah who had flopped over on her back stretching her back legs out behind her, exposing as much of her tummy as possible to him for scratches.

“Has she had problems?  Being aggressive, I mean?” questioned Rick.  

“Nope, it’s always been her wandering off that got folks mad.  Nobody around here respects leash laws, or fences in their dogs.  So she’d wander off, make new friends, and never come when called.  She’s deaf! Why would she come when she’s called?  She can’t hear!”  Beth chuckled, but Rick caught the exasperated tone.

“Why don’t they just get a fence or teach her to come with like… hand signals er somethin’,” asked Daryl as Savannah lapped at his face causing him to chuckle.

“Nobody has the time or the patience to work with her.  And it’s not like it’s hard…  It’s just a little different than your standard commands and stuff.  Hey, you know what?  If you guys are really interested in her, I know someone that could help you with some trainin’.  He’s one of Daddy’s helpers.  Kinda quiet, a bit shy, but has such a way with animals… he could help out probably better than taking her to PetSmart or Petco.”

Daryl looked up at Rick, his own set of begging puppy dog eyes matching those of Savannah.  The two were quite the pair, soft eyes looking at him oh so adoringly.  Rick wasn’t sure who to pat on the head first.

“I um, I’d like to think about it? If I could?” 

“Being a county shelter, I can’t hold her for you… but, if you could think about it tonight and call me in the morning, I could take her off the available list so she can see Daddy to be brought current on her shots.  Would that work?”

“Yeah… yeah, I could do that.  Hey, I know you’re closing soon or already did.  We’ll get out of your hair.  Discuss it tonight, and I’ll call you in the morning.  Scout’s honor,” Rick even did the two finger salute, earning him an eye roll from Daryl.

“Oh girl…” Daryl sighed, giving Savannah one final rub down.  “See you tomorrow, I hope!”  He scratched behind her ears and under her chin, and she allowed him to kiss her on the top of her head before they departed the kennel.  Beth handed Rick a card in the reception area with the contact information, and he thanked her again, walking out the door to the truck.  Rick tapped his fingers on the hood thoughtfully as he maneuvered around to the driver’s side.

“So… whatcha think?” asked Daryl, leaning against the fender.  His eyes bright and curious, watching as Rick rang his fingers along the edge of the hood.  

“Right now it feels like maybe this is a little more for you than it is for Carl,” Rick responded honestly.

“But-”

“Dar, I haven’t seen you light up like that in years.  If ever.  You’re never that affectionate with me or the kids.  Now I’m not saying that like it’s a bad thing, but that lil’ girl got you out your… shell a hell of a lot faster and more effectively than anything I’ve done in the past 7 years.”

“Oh,” Daryl nodded sullenly, taking this observation as a hit to himself personally.  Not caring to hear more and risk fracturing his already cracked ego, he moved to the door and got inside the cab of the truck.

Rick took the faraway look in his eyes as that of needing a breather and not wanting to push the issue further, he climbed in too and continued on their way to the store to finish up his stocking-stuffers.

 

* * *

 

Daryl stayed quiet for the rest of the day.  Kept to himself as much as he could, and answered questions politely but kept his responses short and simple.  Why he felt a level of hurt to this magnitude was surprising to him and had him feeling off kilter.  There was no doubt that Rick noticed, and he was thankful that the issue was not pressed.  He was not up for discussion right now.  In fact, he actually thought about heading home right after dinner.  Maybe a little space and a good night’s sleep would have him back to normal by morning.

He helped to cook dinner, as he always did. And Rick dried the dishes after Daryl washed and rinsed them, just as they always did.  But instead of joining his lover on the couch by the light of the Christmas tree, he stood awkwardly by the door and reached for his coat.  Rick’s face fell.

“You’re not gonna stay?” he asked, sadly.

“Got a few things to do at home, stuff Merle asked me to help ‘im out with…”  Daryl fidgeted with his keys, avoiding the look from Rick that said he knew Daryl was lying.  Daryl spent more nights at Rick’s house than he did at his own home that he shared with Merle.  He was always with Rick on the weekends to avoid Merle’s raucous partying and whoring shenanigans.

“Okay,” Rick acquiesced, stepping closer to Daryl and leaning in to at least give the man a peck on the lips.  Even when one or the other was angry, they always reached out toward each other before parting ways.  Rick never believed in saying ‘goodbye,’ it was too final.   _ See you later _ , or _ Talk to you soon _ , or a simple  _ I Love You _ were used in it’s stead.  And Rick knew better than to fight Daryl when he was feeling down or off, like now.  They would talk later, when he felt more put together.

Rick gave Daryl enough time to arrive back home before sending out a text.

R:  _ Are we okay? _

R:   _ It’s alright if you don’t want to talk tonight, just promise me you won’t fade away. _

It was a half hour later before Daryl finally responded.

D:  _ Yes, and I won’t _

R:  _  Love you.  Thank you, g’night. _

D:  _  LU2, night _

Rick breathed a sigh of relief and eased down onto the couch, sprawling across it and grabbing the remote to put on a movie.  He wasn’t quite ready for bed, and thoughts of Daryl were sure to invade his mind.  Might as well just let them do their thing so his mind could settle later and allow him to rest.

Rick and Daryl had been together for seven years.  Carl had been a mere toddler when they had met.  Rick had brought in the family car to Daryl’s garage to have a backup camera installed in it, per Lori’s orders.  She was a stickler for safety, and downright irrational about it, taking every concern and multiplying it.  She and Rick were already on the outs, and he simply did whatever she asked so as not to endure her wrath.  But unbeknownst to him, that only served to infuriate her more because she knew he was avoiding conflict.  Rick had trudged into the small office area like he carried the world on his shoulders, and was greeted by the disheveled Dixon with cut off sleeves and a swipe of grease across his high cheekbone.  

Daryl had eyed him up and down with a frown, impatiently waiting for Rick to complete his assessment and get on with it.  Not realizing in that moment that Rick had effectively commenced what would soon become a rather intense infatuation.

And when Lori found out about him and Daryl, which was inevitable given the amount of dirt that was drudged up with their divorce proceedings, she simply threw her hands up in the air and walked away shaking her head in disgust.  It would be a year before she could look Rick in the face again, feeling betrayed by the man she had once loved, and cursing herself for not noticing the few times during their relationship that Rick’s eyes would linger on other men a moment or two longer than they should have.

But she had come around eventually.  It happened on an icy winter evening just after New Year’s.  She was on her way home from spending the weekend with her parent’s house with Carl when she took a turn around a bend in the road, and hit an icy patch.  The car spun several times before hitting the curb and rolling over onto it’s side.  Carl was unhurt, safely secured in his car seat, and Lori received only a gash to her brow where her head had hit the window.  Daryl had the tow truck that night, and responded first to the call, arriving before first responders.  First helping Lori out of the car, and then Carl.  He even began to tend to her wounds with the first aid kit in the truck, and she allowed it.  Carl remained calm with the presence of Daryl, whom he had gotten to know by then, and only cried when the lights of the police cars and fire trucks had assaulted his young eyes.

He sat with her until Rick arrived, seeing them safely into the ambulance and promising to bring Rick’s car to the hospital afterward so they could get a ride home.   _ Ain’t nothin’, _ Daryl had argued when the two had protested.   _ It’s flu season anyhow, no need for you to sit in that germ infested hell hole while waitin’ fer a cab this late at night.  _ It was Daryl’s concern for their wellness and safety that won Lori over.  Daryl was gruff but his demeanor had been gentle and non-judgmental, something she could learn from.

Rick let his mind wander of the years they had been together.  They were not the type to celebrate relationship milestones like anniversaries of first dates and such, but Rick was in awe that  _ that _ much time had passed.  And his love for Daryl had only grown over the years, each day more so than the day previous. Huh, he thought to himself.  Maybe they didn’t celebrate anniversaries, but being together short of a decade was worth something special, now wasn’t it.

He sat up in his seat, the wheels in his mind beginning to turn.  There was no doubt in his mind that Daryl was his forever.  His eyes never strayed anymore to other men, his world was Carl, for obvious reasons, and of course Daryl.  Given the events of the day and Daryl’s reaction, did it really matter if that pup was more for Daryl than Carl?  Of course now, how could he think such thing.  

He picked up his phone and dialed a number, hoping that what his mind was coming up with was attainable and could come to fruition before Christmas which was mere days away.

 

* * *

 

The next day, it was mid-morning by the time Daryl got around to texting Rick.  He had time to think during the night, and he had decided that he was his own person and that he also really really wanted Savannah in his life.  Whether she was a Grimes family pet, or a Dixon, it didn’t matter.  Rick had not outright put his foot down at the shelter, so Daryl remained hopeful.

D: _Morning.  Did you happen to talk with Beth?_

R: _Hi.  I did.  It’s not good news.  Can I call you?_

D: _shit. Ok…_

R: _Give me 5 minutes, just getting dressed_

Rick sat on the edge of his bed already fully dressed, pinching the bridge of his nose.  He had talked to Beth that morning, but things had changed.  Rick had a plan, but unfortunately it involved a bit of dishonesty, and that was weighing on him heavily.  After the allotted five minutes, he dialed Daryl’s number, smiling when he heard the gruff grunt of Hello.

“Dar… Savannah isn’t available for adoption.”

“What?  No!  What happened?   Beth was gonna try and hold her, said she was gonna send her out for her shots and shit.  What the fuck happened?”

“Shhh, let me finish, okay?”

Silence on the other end of the line was all the response he got from his lover.

“Beth was late getting to work this morning.  There was a new volunteer who hadn’t checked the vet sheet, and she adopted Savannah out this morning before Beth arrived.  There had been an emergency on the farm, that’s why she was late.”

“Fuck.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, me too.”  Rick could hear the heavy sigh of disappointment, and that put an ache in his chest.

“You gotta get back to work?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, I’ll let ya go.  I love you…”

“Yeah.  Love you too.”

Rick just hoped the plan he had put into place made up for this disappointment.  In the days that followed, Rick remained busy with work, as did Daryl.  It was the Christmas rush of travelers needing their vehicles serviced before their road trips, and holidays always meant an increase in crime, keeping Rick’s department blessedly busy.  Rick was able to leave most days nearly on time, which allowed him to work on his gift for Daryl.

Carl would be with his mother for the holiday, but Rick would be receiving him back the day after Christmas.  That left the day for just Rick and Daryl to spend some quality time together.  The holidays were hard on Daryl given his past experience, or lack of, considering his upbringing.  It certainly explained some of his more buggy behavior of the past week or two.  Rick would have to just learn to let it go, or perhaps he could do something to make the day more meaningful for the other man.  The latter was his wish.

 

* * *

 

“Beth? It’s Rick… I’m good, and you?” Rick spoke quietly into his phone, not wanting to alert Daryl in anyway, taking steps forward in his plan while the man was in the shower.

“You sure about all this?  I don’t want to be puttin’ you guys out or nothing…. Uh-huh…. Do you think he’d have time to work with us after my shift tomorrow?  I just want to get some basics down so things are easier on the transition here.”  Rick listened for the shower and tried to keep his attention on Beth’s voice.  Daryl was fast in the shower when he was alone, time was of the essence.

“Fantastic… I can’t thank you enough for this.  So, the fella’s name is Benny, you say?  Mm-hmm…. Perfect, thanks again, I’ll see you soon!”

Rick couldn’t stop the victorious fist pump into the air as things were falling into place.  He had to make a quick trip to Walmart after his shift the next day, stop by a story recommended to him by Glenn for a very specific item he was looking for, and then he would be going to Hershel’s farm to meet with a trainer.  The sound of a snort pulled him from his revery, and Rick turned on his heel to discover Daryl standing in the doorway, drying his ear with a cotton swab and running his towel over his body drying it off.  Quite the multitasker.

“What’s got you so excited?” he asked.

“Huh? Oh, that? Uh, found out I have Christmas off.”

Daryl gave him a look knowing he was clearly full of it, and Rick realized he had already told Daryl three weeks ago that he got the holiday off this year.  

“They were just confirming it, is all,” Rick grinned sheepishly.  

“Sure, right. Whatever.  I know you got something top secret planned, so best get on with it then and make sure it’s damn good or Carl is gonna be disappointed.”

Carl?  Rick knew he would have a hard time keeping a secret from Daryl, but letting him think that he was working on something for Carl seemed almost a better alternative.  He wouldn’t have to give all the details, Daryl wouldn’t have to worry he was off screwing another man, it was perfect!

“You don’t mind?”

“Y’ain’t gonna tell me, right?  No  matter if I wanna help or not?”

“Kinda need this one thing to be just me, that okay?  Any other time I’d say yes, but… this is kinda… it’s…”

“Don’t get yer panties in a wad, Grimes.”  Daryl tossed the towel over his shoulder and exited the room in the nude, pausing in the doorway long enough to look over his shoulder at Rick.  “Just make sure it’s special is all, don’t give ‘im nothing stupid.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it!” Rick responded, watching Daryl’s firm ass as he left the room in search of dry clothes in the laundry.  Rick flopped back on the bed and breathed a sigh of relief.  His chest still ached with anxiety over the proceedings, but the end result would be worth it.  

 

* * *

 

Rick pulled down the long driveway, past the fenced in fields and the large sprawling farmhouse, to a small barn situated on the back of the property.  The small paddock to the left of it was primarily shadded as it abbutted a forest, and the paddock itself had been converted in such a manner than small animals could be kept within.  Calves, goats, sheep, dogs, etc.  Beth and Maggie could be seen leaning over the fence looking in at the going’s on beyond Rick’s line of sight.  As he walked over, he did hear an excited voice from within, “Dudebros!  That’s six signs she’s learned in less than 48 hours!  High fives!”  A arm shot into the air, and both Beth and Maggie giggled high-fived the hand that belonged to the excited voice.

Rick cleared his throat, hoping to politely catch the attention of either Beth or Maggie, not wanting to interrupt.

“Oh, Rick’s here!” Beth tapped Maggie on her shoulder and the two walked over greeting him with hugs and smiles.  “You have got to see what Benny has done with Savannah, Rick!  It’s amazing!”

“Oh?” Rick questioned as the two girls led him over to the paddock.  Inside the ring was a short young man, a mop of disheveled straw colored hair on his head, wearing glasses and no jacket despite the chilly weather.  Savannah had her eyes glued to his face, and Rick watched as she read a series of hand signals and followed commands for what appeared to be Sit, Stay, Down, Off, and two others for… praise?  Savannah was extremely responsive and eager to please, but of course that may have had a little to do with the treat bag hanging off the man’s belt.

“Benny?  Come on over and meet Savannah’s new Daddy!” Maggie called out.  Benny looked up, pushing the glasses up the bridge of his nose, a hint of a smile glazing over his cheeks.  Those cheeks flushed a faint shade of pink as he put out his hand to politely shake Rick’s in greeting.

“Benny, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.  I can’t tell you all the wonderful things I’ve heard, and I saw it all just now… Did you do all that in just the past couple days?”

“Ain’t nothing,” Benny shrugged shyly.  “Just a little bit of patience and a whole lotta love.  Don’t take much, just time.”

“I can’t thank you enough, this is going to be an adjustment for us just to have a dog.  But being able to communicate with her right off the bat?  That’s gotta make things easier, right?”

“Shit, yes!” he responded excitedly, then instantly shutting it down to a calmer demeanor.  “I mean, yes, the transition will go much smoother if y’all are on the same page.”

“Can you show me?  What you did just now with her?  Is she ready?”

“Well, yeah… I mean you gotta participate or she ain’t gonna listen to ya at all.  Couple times a day you just run through the hand signals, give her treats when she does ‘em right, and let her know you’re happy.  That’s all a pup wants, is to be loved and happy!”

“Sounds easy enough,” Rick cocked his head to the side thoughtfully.

“In theory, it is.  Just gotta have the fortitude to continue it even after the novelty of havin’ a pup wears off.”

“Something tells me Daryl is gonna be on this dog like white on rice-”

“An’ that’s fine, but everybody needs to be involved,” Benny insisted.  “I mean, it just makes for better flow if y’all are on the same page.”  He toed at a rock on the ground almost shyly, and Rick grinned.  Benny was a good soul, he could see it.  

“So y’all are okay with havin’ Savannah here for a few more days?” Rick asked the group, and was met with nods.

“Sure!  Daddy has always had a soft spot for this girl, and has been givin’ her a little love every night before bed.  He won’t admit it, but I found her asleep curled up in his lap while he was reading the paper late into the night.  He’s gonna miss ‘er when you take her home.”

“Just remember to keep your lips zipped if you see Daryl, this is his Christmas gift,” Rick reminded.  “Among… other things,” he looked pointedly at Maggie who broke out in a wide toothy smile, she ran pinched fingers over his lips in a  _ my lips are zipped _ manner.  She was in on a small part of the gift as well. Emphasis on small.

“Alright, thank you again, Benny!  I’ll come back ta see ya tomorrow,” Rick waved and hustled back to his car.  He didn’t want to dawdle too much and run the risk of making Daryl suspicious.  As he walked away, he heard Benny giggle and quietly exclaim “Oh my god, Maggie.  You didn’t tell me he was Officer Hottie… those CURLS.  The things I could do with them, write about them…”

“Oh hon, wait until you meet Daryl…” she chuckled, and Rick grinned even harder.  Yes, his Daryl was the kind of rarity among handsome men.  Perfectly imperfect, his hair permanently disheveled, his facial hair left at just the right length of scruff, and those arms… his biceps the work of a Renaissance painter, the perfectly slip waist that dipped to the jutting “v” of hip bones when his pants slipped down just right….

Rick thanked his stiffening member for waiting until he was back in the car before springing to attention at the thought of his lover.

 

* * *

 

Over the next few days, leading up to Christmas, Rick stopped by the farm to check on Savannah’s progress and also to get some quick lessons from Benny -- the basic run down on hand signals, what to look out for to know if she was happy, sad, uncomfortable, or scared, and how to handle it appropriately.  It was an adjustment not having the verbal aspect, but Savannah was responsive, and eagerly wagged what little tail she had at Rick’s arrival each day.   His plans were falling into place, and he couldn’t wait to see Daryl’s response to it all.

On the morning of Christmas Eve, Rick awoke alone in his bed.  Daryl was off on a hunt with Merle.   _ Tradition _ , he had said.  Which was funny because there was not a thing traditional about either one of the Dixon brothers.  But let Daryl have his day with his brother, it allowed Rick to get things set up for the big reveal.  There was a tension in his stomach, a nervousness that his plan wouldn’t go exactly as he wanted.  As long as Daryl didn’t hate him when all was said and done, then he didn’t care… much.  The morning was spent cleaning the house from top to bottom.  Carl was off with Lori and Shane, and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow afternoon.  Merle was set to go out drinking with his buddies, and Daryl had promised he would be home by late afternoon.  Rick would have dinner ready and waiting, Benny had promised to bring Savannah home and help introduce her to the house and the yard, and would vacate promptly before Daryl was due to arrive.  Rick just had to make one quick stop at the Rhee family-owned jewelry store for a custom designed piece.  This was the item he was most nervous about, the meaning behind it, the depth of emotion, and the nights of lost sleep over deciding on all the details that would in his estimation make it most perfect.

Mr. Rhee greeted Rick with a polite smile, and reached behind the glass case to pull out a ring box.  Inside was a titanium ring.  It was engraved on the inside with a small crossbow and Colt Python gun, and the outside shown in bands of deer antler, titanium, and oak.  Daryl may not have been a traditional style man, but he was a stickler for symbolism and Rick hoped that this would have a profound meaning for him.  Rick wanted no other man in his life, only Daryl.  It had been a long while since any man (or woman, for that matter) had caught his eye.  Seven years with Daryl had gone by in a flash, and it was high time that they made their commitment to one another official.

“Glenn was right, you do beautiful work… this surpassed my expectations,” he marveled as he ran his fingers over the ring, feeling the weight of it in his hand, and the smoothness of the band.

Mr. Rhee tipped his head in a polite nod of thanks. Rick paid and was off to begin dinner and wait for Benny and Savannah to arrive. Wanting to have everything set up to perfection, Rick decided to text Daryl and make sure he didn't walk in until after everything was in place.

  
R:  _ Hey, still planning on being back for 5? _

D:  _ Yeah sure _

R:  _ Is that not convenient? _

D:  _ It's fine _

R:  _ Ok, just wanted to have dinner ready for you. If it changes let me know _

D:  _ ain't gotta go out of your way _

R:  _ I've always made dinner for you on Christmas Eve _

D:  _ Fine I'll try to be there for 5 _

He'll try? He had always been there for Christmas Eve dinner. It was just what they did, every year, without fail. Rick's chest tightened with anxiety. Was this a mistake? Did he screw up somewhere? Was Daryl unhappy with him? He hadn't been himself lately, but grouchier than usual but he thought that was just the holidays and what they did to people.

If Daryl didn't want to come home for dinner, then so be it. Rick was not about to starve and they could always eat the leftovers the next night when Carl was home. The last items were put into the oven as a knock came at the door. Rick took a few cleansing breaths and pulled it open, greeting Benny who had Savannah sitting primly by his side.

“Hi Mr. Grimes,” his cheeks flushed pink, “Just picked her up from the groomers!” Savannah looked up at the two of them, she looked beautiful. Her nails were clipped and filed smooth, her fur coat had a fluff and lustre to it, and there was a festive red and green holly berry bandana tied around her neck.

“Gosh, she's a beautiful dog,” Rick chuckled, Savannah cocked her head to the side watching Rick’s every move. “Oh! Come inside, please! Where are my manners? Sorry, just a bit distracted today.”

“Is this a bad time? Because I can take her and bring her back if later is better. We didn't note an exact time just that she needed to be here and settled before-”

Rick interrupted Benny’s concerned chatter, “No, no… it's fine, more than fine I promise.” Benny still looked unsure, so Rick took a step back and remembering the hand signal for “come here”, he got in Savannah’s line of sight and gestured to her. Her ears perked up and she came right over and sat next to Rick looking up at him expectantly.

“You remembered!” Benny clapped excitedly, Rick wasn't sure if Benny was excited for Savannah or for him. But his enthusiasm was infectious, and warmed Rick’s heart. Leading the way, they wandered through every room of the house letting Savannah learn about her new surroundings. She sniffed her new food and water bowls, eyed the basket of chew toys, and even gave the new dog bed a try, rolling onto her back and wiggling to scratch her itchy spots.  She finally settled down and decided to get some shut eye.

Benny was looking at some of the family photos on the mantle. There were some of Lori, Rick, and Carl. More of Rick and Daryl, on various hunting trips and vacations they had taken together. And some of course included Carl.

“Is this… is that Daryl?” Benny asked quietly. 

Rick joined Benny by the mantle, looking at the photo in question. It was the two of them together in a hammock. “Yeah, that was our last trip to Costa Rica.  I had to bribe Daryl with all kinds of stuff, and… ahem, thangs in order to get him to wear those shorts. It was 90 degrees, and we were on the beach. You can't wear cut-off flannels and ripped jeans to the beach. It also took about 6 shots of alcohol before he'd let the bartender take that picture.”

“He's beautiful…” Benny breathed with a dreamy smile, he then squeaked and realized what he said, blushing a fiery shade of red. Rick ignored the reaction, but nodded and smiled. “He's as beautiful on the inside as he is on the outside.  He has a surly attitude but those of us with thick skins that have the patience to see past it are in for a world of good.  He's a quiet man, fiercely protective of those he loves. Smart as a whip, and can out-sass the wittiest of divas. He doesn't take crap from anybody but he'll give you the shirt off your back if he knows you're genuine.”

“Wow,” Benny’s eyes were alight with wonder. “I hope I can find someone like that someday…”

“Me too, and I'm sure you will. When you least expect it. That's how it worked for me anyway. I wasn’t looking at all, I was done with relationships.  My marriage was falling apart, and my wife was up my rear about getting my car into the shop to have a backup camera installed.  But I couldn’t use our ‘regular’ shop because one of the mechanics looked at her wrong, so we had to try out this new place.  She was a stickler.  Anyway, I walked in and Daryl was dressed pretty much like that, a sleeveless top, hair a mess, biceps glistening in the sun…  He was standoffish at first, most folks around here aren’t so open minded, ya know? But we ended up chatting a little.  He’s not much of a talker but you ever been in the presence of someone where talking didn’t matter?  Like the silence isn’t uncomfortable, you could just… be?”

Benny nodded thoughtfully, “A time or two, yeah.”

“A week or so after he worked on our car, I was on duty and pulled over this dude on a motorcycle.  Blew by me doing 70 in a 35.  I was ready to rip him a new asshole considering we just scraped a body off the pavement earlier that week… a motorcycle fatality, no less. So I’m walking up to him, thinking this guy is a real piece of work.  He’s got the leather vest on, with angel wings on the back.  Ripped jeans, asskickin’ boots, the whole nine yards, right?”

Rick moved to the couch, gesturing for Benny to follow, which he promptly did, chin-handing so hard his teeth clacked together in rapt attention to Rick’s story.

“He pulls his helmet off and shakes his hair out, I swear time slowed down in that moment, like those cheesy romance movies?  He hangs his helmet on the handlebars, and looks up at me and says ‘ _ bout time, officer. _ ”

“What did he mean by that?” Benny asked.

“Apparently he had driven by me a half dozen times that morning.  I had been distracted by yet another argument with my wife, right?  But it took him doing twice the speed limit before I finally got my head out of my ass and noticed.”

“That is precious!”

“Yeah, it gets better.  I had already called the plate in, so I couldn’t  _ not _ issue him something.  So he looks up at me and says ‘ _ I’ll let you give me that ticket I earned, but you gotta let me buy you coffee first. _ ’ I was dumbfounded.  Coffee soon turned to meeting for a beer after shift.  Some of the best relationships start off as friendships.  We’d go fishing.  I’d help him fix his motorcycle.  Which was just me handing him tools and stuff.  He’d come over, teach Carl how to track, do stuff outside… Lori eventually got past it, and we’ve remained friends.  Point is, and you probably know this, never judge a book by it’s cover.”

“Wise words, Mr. Grimes,” Benny smiled.  Looking down at Savannah snoring softy on the bed,  “She looks content here, so I’ll leave you be.  Any questions, you know where to find me.”  Rick walked Benny to the door, and waved as he left the driveway.  A half hour later, Savannah was flopped on the kitchen floor watching as Rick hustled about putting the finishing touches on dinner.

All that remained, was Savannah and waiting for Daryl to come home.  To text, or not to text, he wondered…

R:   _ Dinner is almost ready, let me know when you are on your way _

D:  _ Ain’t 5 yet _

Rick growled at the response, why is he being such grouch?

R:  _ I’d like to have it ready when you get home, don’t want you eating it cold.  It’s one of those crazy things people do when they’re in love with someone. _

D:  _ Food is food _

R:  _ Yes, and my love for you burns hotter than the sun.  Your food will be hot when you arrive.  Just give me a head’s up, that’s all I ask. _

D: _ Fine _

_ Fine? FINE?  Please God, do not let tonight be a mistake. Please, please, please…  _ Rick begged to the almighty above.  He knew how much Daryl disliked the holidays and the stresses that went with it, but this was bordering on insanity.  Twenty minutes later Rick’s phone dinged saying he was on his way and was 10 minutes out.  Rick jumped into action, grabbing the large obnoxious red bow and clipping it to Savannah’s collar.  He then rolled her adoption certificate, sliding the ring on it to hold it, and tied that to the big red bow.  Savannah took it all in stride, panting softly in his face as he smoothed her fur and arranged her bandana.  At the sound of Daryl’s motorcycle making it’s return to the house, Rick signed for Savannah to ‘stay.’  He then stood by the door so she was just out of Daryl’s line of sight.  Moments later, Daryl burst through the door, windblown and tossing off his jacket in an effort to get warm.  Only he was crazy enough to still be riding around on two wheels in late December.  He stopped short at seeing Rick standing right there, his face turning suspicious as he hung up his coat and keys.  Toeing off his boots, he looked at Rick again, “Something wrong?”

“No? I mean, I hope not.  I just missed you is all…”

“Hmm, ‘kay.”

Rick reached out tentatively, running his fingers over Daryl’s forearm.  “Gotta minute?”

“Takes longer than a minute for me to be ready, darlin’,” Daryl teased, waggling an eyebrow at him.

Rick chuckled, relieved that Daryl didn’t appear to be outwardly cranky with him.  “I got something for you.  But before I show it to you, I just wanted to tell you something first.”

Daryl looked around Rick, as if expecting a crowd of people to jump out and yell “surprise!” or perhaps Rick had gone and redecorated or moved furniture and was afraid Daryl wouldn’t like it.

“We’ve been together awhile now.  And you filled an emptiness in my heart that I never knew existed.  I’m yours, in all ways.  And I’m hopin’, that you feel the same way too.”

“Hell yeah, I do...” His face bore the look of a wary man, but his eyes beheld his affection.

“Okay, because lately you haven’t been… You haven’t seemed happy, and I just want to be sure that nothing changed for you… Your feelings, us, everything...”

“No.  ‘course not.  I mean, you been leaving work early and coming home late, and I… was afraid that maybe you’d-, maybe you had a new friend.  Or somethin’.”

“Leaving work early?”

“Yeah, I went by the other day, thought we could go grab a beer or dinner or somethin’, like old times, and they said you’d already left.”

“Oh, my god…” Rick put his hands on Daryl’s cheeks, pulling him close and kissing him on the lips.  Slow, soft, sensual.  Deepening the kiss, running his hand up the nape of Daryl’s neck and fisting the hair as he licked his way into Daryl’s mouth.  Their tongues dancing together while Daryl’s arms wrapped around Rick’s waist, pulling their hips together.  With a panting gasp, they parted to breathe, resting forehead against forehead.  

“Never, sweetheart… There’s only you.  Everything, it’s all for you.  Come with me,” he stepped back, pulling Daryl forward by the hands to follow him into the living room.  The steady thump, thump, thump of a tail hitting the floor caught Daryl’s attention, and he looked around Rick’s shoulder to where Savannah sat in place by the tree.

“Rick?” Daryl questioned, looking between Rick and Savannah.  “What is this?”

“Daryl, meet Savannah.  Our newly adopted dog,”  Rick made the hand signal for ‘come here,’ and Savannah trotted over to sniff at Daryl and receive a pat in greeting.

“What’s this on her collar?” Daryl asked, untying the roll of paper.  He slid the ring off, holding it in his hand, and then unrolled the paper.

“Read it,” Rick urged, standing close to his lover.

“King County Animal Shelter, Certificate of Adoption, December 18, 2016.  Wait, that’s the day after we met her-”

“Keep reading…”

“This certifies that Richard Grimes and Daryl Dixon do hereby adopt this canine, and promise to provide all medical care, food and shelter, and love and guidance for the remainder of life.  Description:  Australian Shepherd x Pit Bull mix, Deaf, Microchipped.   Named:  Savannah Dixon-Grimes…”

“Mm-hmm…” Rick prodded.  “She’s ours…”

“You mean, you lied to me?”

“It… yes. I regret that I did.  I can’t tell you how much sleep I lost over that, Daryl.  You have no idea.  And those times I was home late?  I was with her at the Greene farm getting lessons from a trainer.  I swear it,  would never lie to you maliciously.  I didn’t know how else to do this.”

Daryl stared between the ring, and the certificate, his face screwed up in concentration.  “Dixon-Grimes?”

“Yeah… about that-”

“And a ring?  This is a ring, right?”

“It is… look on the inside.”

Daryl held the ring up closer, inspecting the detailed engraving inside of the Colt and the crossbow.

“And…” Daryl’s chest began to heave, a bit erratically.  Savannah sensed the unease, and sat at his feet, leaning against his legs and whining softly up at him.  “Is this…”

Rick took Daryl’s hand in his own, knowing he needed to spell it out in more than just words.  It needed to be the whole nine yards.  Holding those calloused fingers between his own, he went down on one knee.  His eyes began to fill with tears, and he looked up at his best friend, his lover, his everything, “Daryl Dixon… I’ll love no other in the way I love you.  I want no other in the way I want you.  Will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?”

Daryl gasped softly in surprise, and Savannah bounced up to lap at knuckles of Daryl’s hands.

“All this… You… You’re proposing to me?” His voice cracked as he spoke, but it was soft with a hint of surprise and wonderment.  “And Savannah, she’s ours?  Really ours?”

“Yes… She belongs to _ both _ of us.  Now what do you say about us?  Will you be mine?”

Daryl finally grasped that what Rick had gone and done was for him, for them.  The ring was a symbol of his undying and infinite love, a never ending circle.  And Savannah belonged to them  _ both. _  Daryl dropped to his knees, a soft chuckle escaping his thin lips, “Yes… shit, yes!” and he threw his arms around Rick.  Savannah backed up a few steps, going down into a play stance and let out two yips as she wiggled excitedly.  Rick chuckled, reaching out to scratch behind her ears while simultaneously leaning in to kiss Daryl again.  “I can’t believe you did this,” Dary breathed against his lips.  “I thought… I thought you were leavin’ me.  It’s dumb, I know.  But-”

“Never,” Rick sighed, running his fingers through Daryl’s hair, pushing it out of his eyes.  “There’s only you.”

“Good.  Yes.  Cuz ain’t nobody else gonna put up with my shit anyhow,” Daryl chuckled, stealing more kisses from Rick.  “So… about that dinner…”

“Hungry?”

“Fuckin’ starved, ain’t been able to eat all week!”

“You’ll never starve again…”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Daryl stood up, grabbing fistfuls of Rick’s shirt and pulling him in for one last deep dance of tongues.  Sucking wet kisses down the line of Rick’s throat, growling as he went.  “And after dinner, I’m havin’ you for dessert…”

“Promise?” Rick asked delightedly.

“Promise!”

Savannah pranced excitedly around them, yipping to get their attention, earning chuckles from both men.  Rick grabbed the ring from Daryl’s hand, and slid it onto his ring finger.  “I’m holdin’ you to it.”

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm going to update this because it was brought to my attention by the wonderful Kittysaurus that our Benny has not met Daryl. That is just TRAGIC! So I can't say when it will happen, but just know a sequel is in the works.
> 
> Also, please view the following links (sorry if they don't work html-wise, that is something I need to learn) for visual inspiration behind Savannah and the Ring.
> 
> https://s3.amazonaws.com/pet-uploads.adoptapet.com/0/1/b/101303035.jpg
> 
> https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/02/63/04/0263049227db03a137c337d1a9fd2101.jpg


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